Twists of Fate (boyxboy)

Chapter 6

Ricky

Kaleb's lips were still tingling on mine. My fingers brushed up against them, and it brought a smile to my face. But then, why had he decided to leave all of a sudden? I know he said that I hadn't done anything wrong, but it was hard to believe when he changed so abruptly.

As my door closed, every muscle in my body urged me to go after him. One day had changed everything between the two of us. Part of me felt happy, but fear gripped at my heart. I couldn't help but worry that I might lose him. He was my best friend, a bit like my brother. But above all else, he was the only guy I'd ever felt anything for.

What would I do if I lost him? My mind flashed back to when I first heard that James had been involved in the car accident that took his life. It nearly destroyed me to the point that I thought I would never recover. If not for Kaleb, I really don't know what might have happened.

For the next hour and a half, I lay there thinking about everything that had gone on that day. Suddenly, my mind was disrupted by the sound of my phone singing "Lean on Me" by Mitchell Musso, Kaleb's ringtone. I quickly sat up and grabbed it eagerly before flipping it open. "Kaleb, I-"

"Ricky Davis?"

I froze. The voice that came through the phone was most definitely not Kaleb's. Instead, the one I heard sounded rough and deep. "Y-Yes? Who is this?"

"I'm Officer Sheridan. A man by the name of Kaleb Hall was caught up in a car crash. Your name was in his emergency contacts. He's being taken to Johnson Memorial Hospital."

My grip on the phone loosened and it slipped from my grasp, hitting the floor. Every cell in my body became paralyzed with fear at the sound of those words. A car crash. Another person I loved. If I were to lose Kaleb, there was no doubt that I would fall into an incurable depression.

I picked up my phone, quickly muttered "I'm on my way", and grabbed my keys. I wanted to be with him at that moment more than ever. Then, realization crept into my mind. It wasn't that I wanted him. I needed him.

          ***

Kaleb

The sound of rushing feet, machines, and sirens blared through my head. Muffled voices barely reached my ears. I tried moving my body, but could barely manage to lift my fingers a few inches. My eyes fluttered open and bright light enveloped them.

It took a few minutes before my vision adjusted, but when it did, I saw people standing over me. Beyond them was a pattern of ceiling tiles. "Where... I..."

My lips could hardly move, and my voice was inaudible to even my own ears. "He's awake!" a female voice shouted out.

A woman in a white jacket came over.  I couldn't get a good picture of her face in mind, but she had long, blond-ish hair. Her voice sounded gentle, however urgent. "Are you okay?"

I blinked my eyes a few times and tried hopelessly to speak, but to no avail. Only air passed my lips, and I sighed.

"He doesn't appear to have a concussion, so I think we're in the clear. He definitely got lucky."

Lucky? What were they talking about? My mind flashed back to the car horn I'd heard. Oh right, something happened. I remembered broken glass and metal. Was I in a car accident?

I closed my eyes and tried to relax, but the sounds around me prevented any sleep from coming. Just as I was opening them again, a voice reached my ears.

 "No! Let me see him now!"

It almost sounded familiar. I looked around the room I was in. A nurse stood by the bedside, gripping the rail of the bed. She turned her attention to the door.